WHY CLIMATE CHANGE IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS

Sustainability and SMEs

Most business-owners want to improve their sustainability and do better for the planet, but it can be so hard to know where to start. We're here to help with tips and advice for every business, no matter what size.

We know that figuring out how to make a positive impact on the planet can be a daunting task. As a small or medium-sized enterprise (or ‘SME’ - defined as a business with fewer than 500 employees) you already have lots of spinning plates, so will the small actions you take really make that much difference?

The answer is simple, yes. It's totally normal to feel like a tiny fish in a sea of options, but even minnows can make waves.

Picture of Minnows swimming around someone's hand

The climate emergency needs us all to join together to find a solution, no matter the size, from individuals up to governments and multinational corporations.

Can small businesses really make waves?

At JUST ONE Tree, 2023 saw us celebrating that an amazing 500 businesses are now planting trees with us, ranging from small eco shops and independent bars to multi-national organisations.

So far with just 500 organisations we’ve planted 3.5 million trees! There are around 5.6 million businesses in the UK private sector (99.9% of these are SMEs) so just imagine the impact we could make if we joined forces.

Local community members planting mangroves in Madagascar

Team of planters planting mangroves in Mexico

Women in a tree nursery prepping planting tubes for seedlings to be planted. In Madagascar.

Local community members walking up a mountain in Peru for the tree planting festival and to plane trees in the Andes

Sounds great, but where do I start?

Being an SME often means that you have a slightly tighter budget. We know times are tight, even more so than ever. It’s easy to get caught up in the everyday and forget to focus on the values that drive your business. But positive, sustainable change doesn't need to cost the earth. Here are some ideas to help your business make a real contribution to combating climate change:

1. What’s your environmental shoe size?

First you need to take a hard look at your carbon footprint. Run an assessment and identify areas where your emissions can be reduced or eliminated and then set some realistic targets. There are online tools that can help with this - try those offered by the Carbon Trust, SME Climate Hub or Federation of Small Business. Or to work out your own personal footprint, try the WWF Footprint Calculator.

Areas to consider could include:

How can you make your business more energy efficient? – e.g. by using LED lighting, smart heating and cooling systems and energy-efficient appliances.
Is your energy green? Consider buying green energy from renewable sources to power your operations - many suppliers now offer this option.
How clean are your logistics? Take a look at your transportation emissions and whether they could be reduced.
How are your staff getting to work? Embracing flexible and remote working options can help to reduce commuting-related emissions. Encourage staff to use public transport or work from home.
How green is your bank? It takes two minutes to find out whether you're unknowingly funding fossil fuels simply through the bank you use. Simply head to SwitchIt, a handy tool that rates your bank and gives you a list of green banks you can easily switch to.

Make it a habit to regularly assess greenhouse gas emissions from your operations and set targets to reduce them.

2. You’re only as green as your supply chain

You’re choosing to prioritise sustainability and environmental responsibility, so make sure your supply chains do too.

Start by thinking about the environmental impact of the goods and services you use. This can include sourcing materials, products and services responsibly, reducing waste, and promoting ‘circular economy’ principles.

Picture of a cargo ship full of containers

3. Power to the people

It’s the individuals within your business who can drive forward your sustainability initiatives - so get them involved as much as possible. Give your employees agency over environmental projects and goals e.g. becoming a B Corp or finding charity partners to work with. You can also offer training on sustainable practices (check out Carbon Literacy training) and there are so many different SME networks for your employees to get involved with.

Picture of product in a warehouse - all in cardboard boxes

4. Don’t make a load of rubbish

If your business makes products, try to design them with recyclability in mind. We understand that sometimes this can come at a cost, so consider collaborating with manufacturers or capitalising on economies of scale.

Meanwhile, try and practise what you preach by reducing your waste and encouraging recycling in the workplace. Things to watch out for are minimising single-use plastics, promoting reusable materials, and establishing recycling programs for all recyclables.

5. Join in, collaborate and spread the word

Your voice matters, and being part of the change is truly rewarding. It also helps to know you’re not alone in your efforts to help the planet (remember, there are 5.5 million of you in the UK). You could join with industry groups and other businesses to advocate for sustainable practices, collaborate to share ideas, lobby for environmentally friendly policies, and work towards a greener business landscape together.

We’d love to welcome you to our friendly JUST ONE Tree community, where you’re certain to feel part of something greater.

6. Turn a negative into a positive

You can’t avoid all emissions, but you can compensate for the ones you can’t prevent. By supporting reforestation organisations like JUST ONE Tree you can help to rewild our planet, regenerate our depleted ecosystems and restore natural balance.

Picture of a woman planting mangroves in Mozambique

picture of 4 young women planting a tree in Kenya

Picture of local community members planting trees in tree nursery

Picture of a young mangrove forest growing in Ankilahila, Madagascar

But what does planting trees actually do?

Trees are the ultimate multi-taskers, acting as carbon sinks, absorbing the pollutants we humans put into the atmosphere. As well as cleaning our air, they filter our water, prevent soil erosion and flooding, house complex ecosystems, supply us with medicine and provide a lifesource to wildlife and jobs to over 1.6 billion people.

Reforesting is crucial for addressing climate change, but also has additional benefits for vulnerable communities supported by JUST ONE Tree. Our programmes help to address issues like poverty, crop yield, water scarcity, and changing weather patterns and so far we’ve provided over 36,000 days of rural employment to some of these vulnerable people.

Find out more about how planting trees makes a difference.

How can JUST ONE Tree help my business to help the planet?

At JUST ONE Tree we’re not about carbon offsetting to alleviate the guilt. We actively encourage businesses to reduce their carbon and environmental footprints as much as possible as well as using their business as a force for good, by giving back to the planet and helping to restore it.

Addressing your business's emissions and broader impact, while supporting restoration efforts, not only fights climate change and promotes long-term sustainability but also enhances your company's reputation. In a time where consumers are increasingly environmentally conscious (Deloitte's Sustainable Consumer 2023 research), this can attract new customers and partners.

Join us on our mission to restore our habitat. Learn more about how we work with businesses to make the biggest impact.

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